The right home backup battery — and the exact size you need.
HomeGridHQ is the independent tool for choosing home backup power. Tell us what you're protecting — we compute your exact watts and show you the units that fit, with the spec math no brand's marketing page will.
This month's top picks
Computed from spec math across every unit we track — see all reviews or read how we rank.
1,024Wh · 1,800W · 4,000 cycles
The one most homes should start with
$689 street · $673/kWh
2,042Wh · 2,200W · 4,000 cycles
The best power-to-weight in the class
$799 street · $391/kWh
4,096Wh · 4,000W · 240V · 4,000 cycles
The sweet spot for serious backup
$2,399 street · $586/kWh
Start with what you are protecting
Pick the situation that sounds like yours. The planner does the arithmetic.
Fridge + the essentials
The most common setup on the site — about 330W running. Cheaper to cover than nearly everyone expects.
Size this setup →
Sump pump in a storm
A surge problem before it is an energy problem: 2,000W at motor start. Size the real load, not the label.
Size this setup →
Well pump (240V)
Only three portable units on the market clear it. Find out whether you need one of them.
Size this setup →
CPAP through the night
60W for eight hours — a far smaller battery than the forums will tell you. One click sizes it.
Size this setup →
Winter, gas furnace
500W of furnace blower beats 1,500W of space heater every time. Here is the math behind why.
Size this setup →
Off-grid cabin
Where panels matter more than pack size — and where cycle life finally earns its price premium.
Size this setup →Open the Backup Power Planner →
Head-to-head matchups
Twelve specs, runtime math on real appliances, and a verdict that names a winner.
EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra vs Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus
The Delta Pro Ultra wins on raw output (7,200W vs 6,000W), expansion ceiling (90kWh vs 26.
See the 12-spec breakdown →EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 vs EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra
Same brand, different jobs.
See the 12-spec breakdown →Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 vs EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus
Different classes: the Jackery has twice the capacity (2,042Wh vs 1,024Wh) and higher output; the EcoFlow recharges twice as fast and is expandable to 5kWh where the Jackery is sealed.
See the 12-spec breakdown →Bluetti Elite 200 v2 vs Jackery Explorer 2000 v2
Nearly identical capacity (2,073Wh vs 2,042Wh).
See the 12-spec breakdown →Brand matchups
"Bluetti or Jackery?" answered straight — representative head-to-head, clear verdict by buyer type.
Bluetti vs Jackery
For most home-backup buyers, Bluetti is the better long-term value and Jackery is the better price today.
See the verdict →Bluetti vs EcoFlow
Bluetti wins on battery longevity and price-per-watt-hour; EcoFlow wins on charging speed, app ecosystem, and the widest lineup — including true 240V units Bluetti's portable range doesn't match.
See the verdict →Bluetti vs Anker SOLIX
Bluetti offers more cycle life and larger single-unit capacity; Anker SOLIX offers extremely fast charging, tidy design, and — since Anker's 2026 price cuts — strong value, including the F3800 Plus for 240V whole-home use.
See the verdict →The federal credit died. Your state might still pay.
25C and 25D expired December 31, 2025. These programs did not — funding status re-verified every month:
$200/kWh standard Massachusetts
$225-$275 per kW enrolled, paid every year Connecticut
Up to $16,000 upfront + ongoing dispatch payments New York
$150-$250 per kWh upfront Vermont
Up to $10,500 per battery Maryland
30% state tax credit, capped at $5,000 Hawaii
$5,000+ in combined upfront and bill credits Colorado
Up to $8,000 HEAR + $2,250/ton Xcel + $1,000 state credit
All tracked programs · What the expiration means for you →
From the field notes
The explainers we kept writing out by hand — motor surge, solar derate, cycle-life economics.
How long your fridge really stays cold — and the battery math that keeps it running
The USDA says four hours. Your fridge says otherwise. Here is what actually happens hour by hour, and the surprisingly small battery it takes to never find out.
7 min read Why your 2,000W power station will not start an 800W well pump
Running watts are a marketing number. Starting watts are the number that decides whether your pump kicks on or your inverter trips. Here is the difference, in plain English.
6 min read
The federal battery tax credit is gone. Ten states did not get the memo.
25D expired December 31, 2025, and it took 30% off the table. What replaced it is not nothing — it is just scattered across state programs that most buyers never find.
8 min readKnow your watts
The quick numbers — or search all 1,244 models with running and startup watts.
Well Pump: 1,000WSump Pump: 800WRefrigerator: 150WCPAP Machine: 60WSpace Heater: 1,500WGas Furnace Blower: 500WWindow AC: 900WMicrowave: 1,500WStarlink: 75WTV: 100W
Search the appliance power database →
Why you can trust these numbers
Specs, not press releases
Every figure comes off a manufacturer spec sheet or a published program document. When a brand omits a number, we say so rather than estimating it.
Math you can check
Runtime uses 85% inverter efficiency on real appliance draw. Lifetime cost is price ÷ (cycles × usable kWh). The formulas are on the page.
Cons on every product
Each review names who should skip it. We earn commissions on purchases and disclose it everywhere — but no brand has ever paid for a ranking here.
Frequently asked questions
What size battery do I need to back up my house?
Essentials-only backup (fridge, Wi-Fi, lights, phones) needs roughly 1,800W of inverter and 2-4kWh of capacity for a day-long outage. Add a well pump and you need 240V and 4kWh+. Whole-home is 10kWh+ installed-battery territory. Our planner computes your exact number in about 30 seconds using real appliance draw and surge figures.
Battery power station or gas generator?
Batteries run silently indoors with zero maintenance and recharge from solar; generators produce more sustained watts per dollar but need fuel, outdoor operation, and upkeep. For outages under two days, modern LFP batteries win for most homes. For week-long outages, many homes pair both.
Are there still tax credits for home batteries in 2026?
The federal 25D credit expired December 31, 2025 — but ten states still pay real money: up to about $16,000 in Connecticut, $10,500 in Vermont, and 30% up to $5,000 in Maryland. We verify funding status monthly in our state tracker.
How do you make money, and does it affect your rankings?
We earn affiliate commissions when readers buy through our links, and we disclose that on every page. Rankings and calculator results are computed from manufacturer-verified specs alone — there are no paid placements and no brand has ever paid for position here.